The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-23
A CALL DECLINED.
Why the Brandon Church Is Still
Without a Pastor.

The First Church at Brandon were
seeking pastor, an occupation that
had engrOssed their energies for some
time past. For it was fully seven
months since the council had assem-
blcd to formally dismiss Mr.. Barnes,
and had declared the pulpit vacant.
Mr.. Barnes had labored faithfully in
their service for five long years. Dur
ing all this time he had preached good,
If not brilliant sermons; attended reg
ularly at the prayer-meeting; and made
all the pastoral calls that one mortal
man, without horse and buggy, could
reasonably be expected to make. And
yet his congregation were not salts
fed. limitations finally reached the
ears of the good man that his resigna-
ton would be resignedly accepted.
He sent it in, and the papers the next
day announced the grief of the First
Church at the resignation of their be-
loved pastor, Mr.. Barnes, whose wife's
health forced him to seek a more salu-
brious climate.
WhereupOn it devolved upon the or
phaned congregation to choose for
themselves pastor-a man after their
own hearts; one who should possess
all the virtues of their late pastor, as
well as those which he lacked.
They proceeded to search for him in
a truly orthodox way; namely, by en-
pertaining candidates. Sabbath after
Sabbath beheld different divine in
the pulpit. They came, we knew not
whence, and returned, we knew not
whittier. They embraced every known
type of man, from the venerable DID.
of three score and ten to the immature
theological student of twenty-One sum-
merS.
The doctrine preached to that people
during the season of candidating was
as rariegated as the patchwork silk
guilt which they presented to their late
pastors wife on her birthday. 1t
branched out into every known ..ism."
There was the ''old school, and the
-'new school," old-fashioned orthodoxy
and modern free thought. There were
sermons with strong leanings toward
liberalism, and there were others ooz-
ing orthodoxy ut every pore. And
there were scientific sermons without
end, and poetical and philosophical
ones. But in all this variety the peo-
pile found not the man they sought.
There were some insurmountable OBJ
jections to every candidate.
Rev. Mr.. Abercrombie gave them
good sermons, but the college students
declared that his gestures were EEK
ecrable," and would demoralize their
own style" and they came en- masse
to the church meeting and voted him
down.
Rev. j. Erwin Smith was youthful
and handsome, and the young ladies
shed tears of regret when the church
decided not to call him. But Deacon
Grimes said his sermons were mere
-'froth, and he hoped they wouldn't
in his day get down to man who
parted his hair in the middle.
Rev. Mr.. Loring was too dramatic,
and threatened TO convert the staid
old church into a theater. while good
Mr. Blakesly, who despised show. was
rejected. because he didn't draw"
One candidate was too solemn, another
TOO frivolous; one was too reserved,
another too common"
And so the spring and summer came
and faded away, and fall was fast
emerging into winter; and the people
were growing weary of their search,
and longed for settled pastor, but he
still eluded them. As old Mr.. Grove
aptly summed up the situation: We've
had close to hundred men here to
preach for us, and we've given 'em all
a fair show, and there hain't been a
perfect man among 'em."
At length, when expectation was
weIl-nigh exhausted, a cheering ray
penetrated the gloom of their despond-